While the Penfield Patriots showed last year, they could become one of the best teams in Section V, this season the team from the Monroe County league is ranked No. 1 in the state.
The Patriots continue to look good, wearing the ranking well, as they won the Section V Class AA1 Tournament Final for the second year in a row March 7, 70-50 over Victor.
Last year’s championship won by Penfield signaled breakout and breakthrough. This year’s success is expected.
“Last year definitely set the bar,” Penfield junior Jackson Green said. “We had guys bought in, ready to win, we knew we had a goal in mind ever since the year before.
“Guys coming up from (junior varsity) want to be a part of the cultural we started here. The next year (this season) we came in here, I wouldn’t say it was expected, but we knew we had to take care of business. We knew what we had to do (to win again). We came in here and took care of it.”
Player of the game
Penfield guard Jackson Green, a 6 foot-6 inch tall senior, was named the tournament most valuable player after he finished with 20 points in the final.
By the numbers
6-9: Height in feet and inches of Penfield center Jake McCarthy, a junior who scored 19 points.
8 – Number of Patriots who scored at least one point, including 6-5 junior guard CJ Johnson, who had eight.
13 – Point total for RJ Johnson, Victor’s leading scorer.
8 – Number of Blue Devils who scored in the game.
6 – Losses in six games for the Blue Devils (15-8) this season to Penfield (three), Fairport (twice) and Rush-Henrietta.
All-tournament team
Brayden Stedman (Churchville-Chili), Roman Maldonado (Irondequoit), Timmy McAuliffe (Victor), CJ Johnson (Penfield), Randy Johnson (Victor), Jake McCarthy (Penfield)
MVP: Jackson Green (Penfield)
Bill Farrell Memorial Coaching Award: Jason Ellis (Penfield).
They said it
“I knew what to do, I came here to work.” Penfield guard Jackson Green, a junior.
“Obviously, we want to be flashy, we want to get the win that way, but it’s whatever we need to do to get the win, that’s what we need to do.” Penfield junior Jake McCarthy
“Last year, we were the one seed, but we never won before in the program (since 1953), sot it was kind of like we had never done it. This year was like, we knew we needed to keep our title and we plan to do that next year, too.” Penfield center Jake McCarthy, a junior
“It’s amazing. Last year was something incredible, something that the school hadn’t seen in 73 years, and then we took two weeks off, I think we were doing hills and other work again in April. We’ll probably do it again, once we are done here. Doing this is a dream. It’s everything that we go for.” -Penfield coach Jason Ellis
“For Penfield to actually be a basketball school, it means a lot.” – Penfield coach Jason Ellis
What’s next
Penfield (21-1) faces Pittsford Mendon (22-1), the Section V Class AA2 champion for a spot in the Class AA state tournament, 7:45 p.m. March 10 at Rush-Henrietta.
Below, is how the Section V Class AA1 Tournament Final unfolded:
Final
Victor 70, Penfield 50
The Penfield Patriots are set to take another bow as champions, this year as a clear-cut favorite to win. If the right combination of players return to Victor, we might hear next year about how the outcome of this game is motivating the Blue Devils, as they are stacking wins.
Start of fourth quarter
Penfield 47, Victor 31
It can be energy-draining working so hard to score, but give the Blue Devils credit. They keep going at a team with taller and stronger players. Give the Patriots credit, too. They still have a fair amount of concentration on defense and a willingness to slowly stretch the lead, instead of wasting their advantage.
Third quarter – 3:30 remaining
Penfield 37, Victor 20
CJ Johnson finishes a drive to the basket with a left-handed layup, Then, the Patriots resume playing defense, including grabbing rebounds.
Second quarter – 40 seconds remaining
Penfield 28, Victor 10
The Patriots stretch their lead a bit, as Ethan McEntire hits a 3-pointer. The score and lead for Penfield was the same at the end of the first half.
Second quarter – 3:28 remaining
Penfield 21, Victor 8
Victor scores its first points since there were two minutes remaining in the first quarter. Ravi Chitre speeds down along the baseline and makes sure to jump high in the air just in case 6 foot-9 inch tall Penfield center Jake McCarthy is around.
Second quarter – 5:17 remaining
Penfield 21, Victor 6
While the Patriots fall short of hot shooting, the Victor Blue Devils are struggling to score. There is also a fair amount of contact that is allowed, including during a strong layup by CJ Johnson.
First quarter – 1:25 remaining
Penfield 15, Victor 6
The Patriots are the first team to put something together offensively during a struggle to score in the first half. Both teams are willing to guard, but Penfield goes on an 11-2 run.
Ethan McEntire cuts hard to the basket, catches a good pass that floats and lays the ball into the basket. Not all layups were made when challenged early in the quarter. Jackson Green added a pair of free-throws at the end of the run.
Where is the Section V Class AA1 boys basketball championship?
Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester Community War Memorial is the site of all the championship games.
Penfield boys basketball
Victor boys basketball
Penfield boys basketball photos
Victor boys basketball photos
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Penfield caps dominant Section V season with title win over Victor
Reporting by James Johnson, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
